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UNITED STATES 'ATENT rricn.

"WILLIAM ARTHUR KENDRICK, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMATEC DAMPER-REGULATOR FOR BOILER-FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,715, dated May 5, 1896.

Application filed July 29, 1895. Serial No. 557,520. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

3e it known that I, \VILLIAM ARTHUR KEN- DRICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington city, inthc District of Golumbia, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in Automatic Damper-Regulators for Boiler-Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic damper-regulator for boiler-furnaces, and especially to that type of such devices in which a loaded diaphragm, acted upon by the pressure of steam in the boiler, operates a valve that controls the admission of a fluid to a cylinder in which is arranged a piston that is connected to and actuates the furnace-dam pcrs, whereby when the pressure of the steam in the boiler exceeds a determined pressure the dampers are closed and held closed until the pressure of the steam falls below the determined limit and the dampers are opened when the pressure of the steam falls below said limit and are held open until the pressure of the steam again reaches normal pressure.

My invention has for its object to provide a damper regulator of the type described wherein either water or steam pressure may be employed for actuating the piston that operates the dampers; that maybe instantaneously adjusted for either high or low pressure of steam in the boiler; to render the operation of the device extremely sensitive to variations in the boilei'pressure; to avoid the use of striding-boxes and reduce the friction of the moving parts to a minimum, and finally to improve and simplify the construction of this class of devices generally.

To these ends my invention consists in the novel features and in the construction, combination, or arrangement of parts hereinaf' tor described, and pointed out in the claims following the description, due reference be in g had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, whercin Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved dampcr-regulator, the cylinder and portions of the frame being shown in section, and the yoke carrying the operatingvalve being shown as partially turned axially to more clearly show some of the parts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the lower portion of the cylindcr being shown as broken away. Fig. is adetail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating; the valve-operating mechanism; and Fig. l is an end elevation of a steam-boiler furnace, showing my improved damper-regulator applied thereto.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a cross-coupling connected at its lower end with the steam-space of the boiler, and at its upper end is tapped into the threaded boss 2 of a centrally-apertured disk 3, between which and a similar disk 4 is arranged a flexible diaphragm 5, the two disks being secured together by bolts 5.

Resting upon the diaphragm 5 is a plunger 7, the aperture in the disk i being countersunk, as shown in Fig. 3, to permit said plunger rising and falling with the diaphragm without frictional contact with the disk 4.

The plunger 7 is provided upon its upper side with an interiorly-threaded boss 8, attached to the lower end of a yoke 9, consisting of two parallel upright rods or tubes 10 and 11, which are each threaded at their upper and lower ends and tapped into elbows 12, and the elbows are connected by crosscouplings 13 and 14. The lower end of the cross-coupling 1% is threaded and is tapped into the threaded boss 8 of the plunger 7, by which means the said yoke and plunger arc adj ustably secured together, for the purpose hereinafter described. Over the lower end of the cross-coupling 1-3 is screwed an openended cylinder 15, forming a hood, and in said lower end of the coupling is tapped a valve 16, having a cone-shaped end, as shown. Secured upon the upper end of the coupling 13 is a weight 17. Arranged beneath the valve 16 is a short tube 18, beveled inwardly at its upper end, as at 19, to form a seat for the valve, and at its lower end is tapped into a T-coupling 20. The opposite end of the coupling 20 is closed by a plug 21, and said T-coupling is connected with and supported by a thimble 22, that is tapped into a T-coupling 24, (see Fig. 1,) the latter coupling forming a part of a water-pipe 25, that at the upper end is connected with a water-main or other suitable source of supply of a fluid under pressure. Secured over the upper end of the coupling 20 and surrounding the tube 18 and hood 15 is an open-ended cylinder 26,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. A. KENDRIOK. AUTOMATIC DAMPER REGULATOR POR- BOILER FURNACES.

No. 559,715. Patented May 5, 1896.

2 m h S Q m In s 2 K G T]. R D N B K A W (No Model.)

AUTOMATIC DAMPER REGULATOR FOR BOILER FURNACES.

Patented May 5,1896.

i l i E i 3 w v R E M n 5 u bi x jiZZ/idfi97f YIZZfik/YZ cal 112 2265752925.

ANDRIW B ERA-um muro-umuwnsumsmu DC UNITED STATES \VILLIAM ARTHUR KENDRICK, OF VASIIINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMATlC DAMPER-REGULATOR FOR BOILER-FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,715, dated May 5, 1896.

Application filed July 29,1895. Serial No. 557,520. (No model.)

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', WILLIAM ARTHUR KEN- DRIGK, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington city, in-the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Damper-Regulators for Boiler-Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic damper-regulator for boiler-furnaces, and especially to that type of such devices in which a loaded diaphragm, acted upon by the pressure of steam in the boiler, operates a valve that controls the admission of a fluid to a cylinder in which is arranged a piston that is connected to and actuates the furnace-danipers, whereby when the pressure of the steam in the boiler exceeds a determined pressure the dampers are closed and held closed until the pressure of the steam falls below the determined limit and the dampers are opened when the pressure of the steam falls below said limit and are held open until the pressure of the steam again reaches normal pressure.

My invention has for its object to provide a damper regulator of the type described wherein either water or steam pressure may be employed for actuating the piston that operates the dampers; that maybe instantaneously adjusted for either high or low pressure of steam in the boiler; to render the operation of the device extremely sensitive to variations in the boiler-pressure; to avoid the use of stuffing-boxes and reduce the friction of the moving parts to a minimum, and finally to improve and simplify the construction of this class of devices generally.

To these ends my invention consists in the novel features and in the construction, combination, or arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims following the description, due reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is afront elevation of my improved dainper-regulator, the cylinder and portions of the frame being shown in section, and the yoke carrying the operating- Valve being shown as partially turned axially to more clearly show some of the parts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the lower portion of the cylinder being shown as broken away. Fig. o is a detail View, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the valve-operating mechanism; and Fig. i is an end elevation of a steam-boiler furnace, showing my improved damper-regulator applied thereto.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a cross-coupling connected at its lower end with the steam-space of the boiler, and at its upper end is tapped into the threaded boss 2 of a centrally-apertured disk 3, between which and a similar disk at is arranged a flexible diaphragm 5, the two disks being secured together by bolts 6.

Resting upon the diaphragm 5 is a plunger 7, the aperture in the disk at being countersunk, as shown in Fig. 8, to permit said plunger rising and falling with the diaphragm without frictional contact with the disk 4.

The plunger 7 is provided upon its upper side with an interioily-threaded boss 8, attached to the lower end of a yoke 0, consisting of two parallel upright rods or tubes 10 and 11, which are each threaded at their upper and lower ends and tapped into elbows 12, and the elbows are connected by crosscouplings 13 and 14. The lower end of the crosscoupling 14: is threaded and is tapped into the threaded boss 8 of the plunger 7, by which means the said yoke and plunger are adjustably secured together, for the purpose hereinafter described. Over the lower end of the cross-coupling 13 is screwed an openended cylinder 15, forming a hood, and in said lower end of the coupling is tapped a valve 16, having a cone-shaped end, as shown. Secured upon the upper end of the coupling 13 is a weight 1 7. Arranged beneath the valve 16 is a short tube 18, beveled inwardly at its upper end, as at 19, to form a seat for the valve, and at its lower end is tapped into a T-conpling 20. The opposite end of the coupling 20 is closed by a plug 21, and said T-coupling is connected with and supported by a thimble 22, that is tapped into a Tcoupling 24, (see Fig. 1,) the latter coupling forming a part of a water-pipe 25, that at the upper end is connected with a water-main or other suitable source of supply of a fluid under pressure. Secured over the upper end of the coupling 20 and surrounding the tube 18 and hood 15 is an open-ended cylinder 26,

forming a cup, into one side of which is tapped a thimble 27, which at its other end is tapped into an elbow 28, and from said elbow depends a waste-pipe 29. In the wastepipe 29 is inserted a T-coupling 30, that is connected by a blind thiinble 31 with the cross-coupling 1, and thus serves as one of the supports for the cup 26, the other support being the coupling 20 andthimble 22, before described. To the opposite side of the crosscoupling 1 is secured, by a blind thimble 32, a cross-couplin g which at its other side is connected to a T-coupling 3i, closed at its lower end by a plug 35, and having tapped in its upper end a cylinder 3b. In the cylinder 36 is arranged a piston 37, which is carried by a rod 38, that projects up through a reducer screwed over the top of the cylinder, the upper end of the rod 33 being guided in a T-coupling 40, connected by a blind thimble 41 with a T- coupling 42, inserted in the upper portion of the pipe 25. The upper end of the cross-coupling 33 is connected with the lower end of the pipe 25, whereby the latter is in. communication with the lower end of the cylinder 36 below the piston. Arranged in the pipe 25 are two hand-valves i3 and H, the valve 453 being arranged above the coupling 24 and the valve 44: between said coupling and the coupling 33, for thepurpose hereinafter described.

Inserted in the upper end of the crosscoupling 14 of the yoke 9 is a threaded spindle 45, and screwed upon said spindle is a disk 46, which adj ustably supports the lower end of a coiled spring 47. Arranged over the upper end of said spring is a similar disk 48, to the upper side of which is pivoted a le ver 49, one end of said lever being pivotally connected by a link 50 to a plug 51, tapped into a T-coupling 52, inserted in the pipe 25, and the other end of said lever is adapted to engage a spring-catch 53, fastened on the waste-pipe 29. By forcing said lever down into engagement with the spring-catch the spring 4:7 is put under tension, and by screwing the disk 46 up or down upon the spindle 45 the tension of the spring may be adjusted. To the other rod 11 of the yoke 9 is screwed a horizontal arm 5 said arm being preferably supported in place by tapping it into a T- coupling 55, arranged upon or forming a part of the rod 11. Fitted in the outer end of the arm 54 is a set-screw 56, that operates to limit the upward movement of the yoke 9, and hence the movement of the valve 16, from its seat, and by adjusting said screw up or down the valve is permitted to rise a greater or less distance.

Fixed upon the piston-rod 38 is a sleeve, preferably consisting of a T-coupling 57, to which is attached an arm 58, and to the end of said arm is pivotally attached one end of a link 59, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a lever 60, fulcrumed midway between its ends upon an arm (51, attached to a T- coupling 62, forming a part of the pipe 25. The arm 58 is guided in its'movement by a depending rod 7 3, that passes through a T-coupling 74, that is attached to the reducer 39, that is screwed over the upper end of the cylinder 30. The movement of the lever 60 operates to open and close the dampers, which may conveniently be arranged as shown in Fig. 4, wherein the numeral 63 indicates a hinged damper arranged over the draft-opening of the furnace, and (Set indicates a stove pipe-damper arranged in the smoke-flue of the furnace and normally held open by a weighted lever (55. A cord or chain 66 is attached to one end, as 67, of the lever 60 and passes over guide-pulleys 68 69, and at its other end is attached to the damper G3, and a similar cord or chain 66 is attached to the opposite end 70 of thelever 00 and passes over pulleys 71 and 7 2, and is attached to the weighted lever 65 of the damper 6i.

The operation of my improved damper-regulator, when constructed as above described, is as follows: The coupling 1 being connected with the boiler and the pipe 25 being con-- nected with a street-main or other suitable source of water supply, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, the device is ready for operation. Let it be assumed that it is desired to maintain a uniform pressure in the boiler of, say, fifty pounds. Then by forcing down the lever 49 into engagement with the catch 53 the spring 47. is put under tension, and by adjustin g the disk 46 up or down upon its spindle the tension of the spring may be adjusted to cause itto force the yoke O, and with it the plunger 8, down against the diaphragm 5 with a force sufficient to hold the diaphragm down against a pressure of fifty pounds, and when the parts are in this position the valve 16 will be held down against its seat 19, closing the tube 18. The valves l3 and ii are then opened to permit the water from the main to enter the pipe 25. The pipe 25 and the cylinder 36 below the piston 37 are constantly filled with water, and the pressure of the water in the main will be communicated through pipe 25 to the under side of the piston 37 in the cylinder 36 and will raise the piston, and thus oscillate the lever 60 in the proper direction to open the dampers 63 and 64 and promote the combustion of the fuel in the furnace. The moment the pressure in the boiler exceeds fifty pounds pressure the diaphragm 5 is raised, raising with it the plunger 8 and yoke 9 against the tension of the spring 47, and raises the valve 16 from its seat 19, thus opening the tube 18. The water from the pipe 25 then escapes through the tube 18 and overflows into the cup 26, from whence it escapes by the waste-pipe 29. This removes the pressure from beneath the piston 37, which is immediately forced down by a weight 75, fixed on the piston-rod 38, and oscillates the lever 60 in the proper direction to close the dampers 03 and Si, in which position they are'held until the pressure in the boiler again drops to fifty pounds,

when the dampers are again opened, as before described.

As the water is discharged from the upper end of the tube 18, the hood 15 surrounding it prevents the water from splashing out of the cup 26. By moving the set-screw 56 up or down the movement of the valve 16 may be adjusted. In practice the movement of the valve is very slight, and should it become necessary in the course of time to grind the valve or its seat, thus causing the yoke and its plunger to drop farther down to force the valve to its seat, such grinding may be compensated for by adjusting the plunger 8 to shorten the distance between the lower face of the plunger and the valve.

In many instances it is necessary or desirable to change the pressure of steam from high to low pressure, and vice versa-as, for example, where the boiler is employed to furnish steam for both heating and power purposes during the day and for heating purposes only during the night. After the tension of the spring at? has once been adjusted, by means of the disk 46, to the tension necessary to balance the pressure of the steam normally employed it is highly impractical to employ the same means for changing the tension of the spring every time it is desired to adjust the device from high to low pressure, and vice versa, and under such circumstances, therefore, the operation is as follows:

As above described, the device was supposed. to be operating with the boiler under high pressure. Should it be necessary to set the device to maintain a low pressure in the boiler, it is only necessary to release the lever if) from engagement with the catch 53, when all tension of the spring upon the yoke 9 is instantly removed, the plunger 8 being held to its seat upon the diaphragm 5 solelybythe weight 17 and by the weight of the plunger and that of the yoke carrying the same. The weight 17 will be just sufficient to hold down the diaphragm against the low pressure of steam desired to be maintained in the boiler. As thus adjusted, the operation of the device is precisely the same as that before described, the weight 17 operating to hold down the valve against a pressure of steam lower than de sired, instead of the spring 4:7, that operates to perform the same function when the boiler is working under high pressure. By the means thus described, after the tension of the spring has once been adjusted by means of the disk 46 it is unnecessary to disturb the adjustment to adapt the device for working with either a high or low pressure of steam. 7

It frequently occurs that water from a streetmain or the like is not to be conveniently had, and I have therefore adapted my improved regulator to be operated by water or steam taken from the boiler instead of by ordinary water-pressure, and for this purpose I have provided the following means:

Tapped into a T-coupling 77, forming a part of the pipe 25, before described, is a pipe 7 8, which at its other end communicates with a rcservo'irghere shown as consisting of a coil 79. The coil 79 at its lower end communicates with the lower end of the pipe 25, a valve 80 being inserted between the lower end of said pipe 25 and the coil 79, by means of which the communication between the coil and the pipe 25 may be closed when the device is operated by water-pressure in the manner heretofore described. I have shown the reservoir 79in the present instance as consisting of a coil, and such is a very convenient and eiiicient manner of making the same; but it may consist of a tank or any suitable form of reservoir, conduit, or Vessel adapted to contain a suitable body of water to prevent the heat of the water or steam from the boiler being communicated to the cylinder, as will hereinafter appear.

\Vhen the device is to be operated by boilerpressure, the valve li is closed and the valves 43 and 80 are opened, and instead of connecting the pipe 25 with a water-main, as before described, it is connected with the steam or water space of the boiler. The valve 43, in practice, sh ould be but very slightly opened, so that it will not permit a greater quantity of fluid to pass therethrough than the discharge-outlet will carry off, and the coil 79 should be filled or nearly filled with water or other suitable liquid.

In operation a small quantity of water or steam passes through the valve 43, and if the boiler-pressure be below the normal pressure the spring 47 or the weight 17, according to whether the device be set for working at high or low pressure, will cause the valve 16 to close, and the boiler-pressure will then act upon the column of water contained in the reservoir 79 and lower portion of the cylinder 36 and raise the piston 37 and open the dampers 63 and 64 in the manner before described and hold them open until the boiler-pressure rises to above normal, upon which the valve 16 will be instantly opened, permitting the steam or water passing through the valve 43 to escape through the tube 18, thus relieving the pressure under the piston 37, which immediately drops and closes the dampers.

My object in inserting the reservoir 7 9 between the pipe 25 and the cylinder is to prevent the water in the cylinder from becoming highly heated, which would have a tendency to destroy the packing usually employed. By means of the coil or its equivalent the column of water is long enough and sufficiently exposed to prevent the steam or hot water from unduly heating it.

A convenient means for supporting the device in positionis afiorded by inserting in the ends of the upper and lower legs of the coil T- couplings 8i and 82, into which are tapped brackets 83, by means of which the device may be bolted in position.

It will be noted that by means of the con- 

